california's top lessons learned in design and language

Top 2: lessons learned, looking forward

Dana Chisnell@danachis@ChadButterfly

King County2004

read easily?navigate?identify sections?find instructions?

understand instructions?follow instructions easily?complete without mistakes?

Not so easy to read, find sections, or complete without making mistakes

Wait. Wha...?

PortlandMaine2011

People missed these instructions

Why do the top instructions have letters?

ShawneeCounty2004

Not ideal line length and justification.

Sections aren’t that easy to pick out

New York City2010

DEMONSTRATION BALLOTSAMPLE BALLOT FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION - City of New York - County of Kings - November 2, 2010

1. BEFORE VOTING THIS BALLOT, PLEASE READ THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS BALLOT.

1. ANTES DE EMITIR SU VOTO CON ESTA PAPELETA, SÍRVASE LEER LAS INSTRUCCIONES EN EL DORSO DE ESTA PAPELETA.

2. BALLOT PROPOSALS ARE LOCATED ON THE OTHE SIDE OF THIS BALLOT.

2. LAS PROPUESTAS DE PAPELETA APARECEN EN EL DORO DE ESTA PAPELETA.

MARKINGINSTRUCTIONS:INSTRUCCIONESDE MARCADO:

Correct Mark:Marca Correcta:

[Insert Chinese Translation][Insert Korean Translation]

Electors forGovernor and

LieutenantGovernor

[Spanish]

[Chinese]

[Korean]

Vote OnceVote una vez

[Chinese][Korean]

Comptroller[Spanish][Chinese][Korean]Vote Once

Vote una vez[Chinese][Korean]

Attorney General[Spanish][Chinese][Korean]Vote Once

United StatesSenator

[Spanish][Chinese][Korean]Vote Once

United StatesSenator

Supreme CourtJustice

[Spanish][Chinese][Korean]

Vote for any FIVE[Spanish][Chinese][Korean]

Representative inCongress[Spanish][Chinese][Korean]Vote Once

StateSenator

Member ofAssembly[Spanish][Chinese][Korean]Vote Once

1A 1B 1C 1D 1E 1F 1G 1H

1K 1J 1I

2A 2B 2C 2D 2E 2F 2G

3G3F3E3D3C3B3A

4I4K 4J

4G4F4E4D4C4B4A

5A 5B 5C 5D 5E 5F 5G

6E6D6C6B6A

7A 7B 7C 7D 7E

8E8D8C8B8A

9E9D9C9B9A

10D10C10B10A

13D13C13B13A

12C12B12A

11C11B11A

WRITE-INCANDIDATO POR

ESCRITO

WRITE-IN

A B C D E F G H

A B C D E F G

A B C D E F G H

A B C D E F G

Democratic[Chinese][Korean]

Republican[Chinese][Korean]

Independence[Chinese][Korean]

Conservative[Chinese][Korean]

Working Families[Chinese][Korean]

Green[Chinese][Korean]

Rent is 2 DamnHigh

[Chinese][Korean]

Libertarian[Chinese][Korean]

Taxpayers[Chinese][Korean]

Freedom[Chinese][Korean]

Anti-Prohibition[Chinese][Korean]

Freedom[Chinese][Korean]

Rent is 2 DamnHigh

[Chinese][Korean]

Tax Revolt[Chinese][Korean]

Taxpayers[Chinese][Korean]

Anti-Prohibition[Chinese][Korean]

HAnti-Prohibition

[Chinese][Korean]

HarryWilson[Chinese][Chinese][Korean][Korean]

Andrew M.Cuomo[Chinese][Chinese][Korean][Korean]

Carl P.Paladino

[Chinese][Chinese][Korean][Korean]

Carl P.Paladino

HowieHawkins

JimmyMcMillan

WarrenRedlich[Chinese][Chinese][Korean][Korean]

Carl P.Paladino

CharlesBarron[Chinese][Chinese][Korean][Korean]

Kristin M.Davis

Thomas P.DiNapoli

HarryWilson[Chinese][Chinese][Korean][Korean]

Thomas P.DiNapoli

Julia A.Willebrand

JohnGaetani[Chinese][Chinese][Korean][Korean]

Eric T.Schneiderman

BruceBlakeman

Eric T.Schneiderman

DanDonovan

Eric T.Schneiderman

Carl E.Person[Chinese][Chinese][Korean][Korean]

Ramon J.Jimenez

Kristen E.Gillibrand

Joseph J.DioGuardi

Cecile A.Lawrence

JosephHuff

JohnClifton[Chinese][Chinese][Korean][Korean]

DanDonovan

Joseph J.DioGuardi

VivaMorgan[Chinese][Chinese][Korean][Korean]

Charles E.Schumer

Eugene M.Fahey

Charles E.Schumer

JayTownsend

Charles E.Schumer

ColiaClark

Randy A.Credico[Chinese][Chinese][Korean][Korean]

Kevin M.Dillon

Cheryl A.Green

Kevin M.Dillon

Eugene M.Fahey

Mark C.Rodgers

Eugene M.Fahey

JayTownsend

Eugene M.Fahey

Mark A.Montour

Deborah A.Chimes[Chinese][Chinese][Korean][Korean]

Mark A.Montour

Deborah A.Chimes[Chinese][Chinese][Korean][Korean]

Cathrine NugentPanepinto

Nydia M.Velazquez

Henry J.Nowak[Chinese][Chinese][Korean][Korean]

AliceGaffney[Chinese][Chinese][Korean][Korean]

Paul B.Wojtaszek

Jeffrey F.Voelkl

Daniel L.Squadron

Joseph A.Nardiello

Daniel L.Squadron

John L.Millman[Chinese][Chinese][Korean][Korean]

John A.Jasilli, Jr.

John L.Millman[Chinese][Chinese][Korean][Korean]

Robert J.Duffy

Gregory J.Edwards

Robert J.Duffy

Gregory J.Edwards

Robert J.Duffy

GloriaMattera[Chinese][Chinese][Korean][Korean]

AldenLink

Gregory J.Edwards

Eva M.Doyle

TanyaGendelman

Worst. Instructions. Ever.

How many votes do I get for governor?

California 2012

Instructions that are not instructions...

Problems are well understood

split contests across columns overvoting

there are responses on both sides of names overvoting

arrows rather than bubbles marking incorrectly

formatting is inconsistent or too consistent undervoting

instructions are complicated or lacking all kinds of crazy things

voters don’t know how to correct their ballots lost votes

Poor design and instructions on ballots makeunderstanding, marking, and casting difficult, time-consuming, and complicated

Poor design and instructions on ballots makecounting, canvassing, and audits difficult, time-consuming, and complicated

Deconstructing California Top 2 primary ballots: Lessons learned

California 2012

find instructions?read easily?

Yelling!

find instructions?read easily?

Voter-nominated and nonpartisan offices

All voters, regardless of the party preference they disclosed upon registration, or refusal to disclose a party preference, may vote for any candidate for a voter-nominated or nonpartisan office.

The party preference, if any, designated by a candidate for a voter-nominated office is selected by the candidate and is shown for the information of the voters only.

It does not imply that the candidate is nominated or endorsed by the party or that the party approves of the candidate. The party preference, if any, of a candidate for a nonpartisan office does not appear on the ballot.

No. 04: Write short sentences.

No. 06: Use active voice.

No. 09: Short paragraphs.

No. 05: Use simple words. 101 words

No. 04: Write short sentences.

No. 06: Use active voice.

No. 09: Short paragraphs.

No. 05: Use simple words.Voter-nominated and nonpartisan offices

All voters, regardless of the party preference they disclosed upon registration, or refusal to disclose a party preference, may vote for any candidate for a voter-nominated or nonpartisan office.

The party preference, if any, designated by a candidate for a voter-nominated office is selected by the candidate and is shown for the information of the voters only.

It does not imply that the candidate is nominated or endorsed by the party or that the party approves of the candidate. The party preference, if any, of a candidate for a nonpartisan office does not appear on the ballot.

All voters may vote for any candidate for a voter-nominated or nonpartisan office.

If the candidate has a preferred political party, the party name appears on the ballot for information only. It does not mean that the candidate is nominated or endorsed by the party or that the party approves of the candidate.

Candidates for nonpartisan offices do not show party preferences.

67 words

California 2012

Contests split across columns

California 2012

Responses on both sides of names

California 2012

Arrows rather than bubbles(and on the wrong side of the choices)

California 2012

Formattinginconsistent ortoo consistent: no visual hierarchy

California 2012

Instructionsinstructionsinstructions

What happened?split contests across columns overvoting

response spaces on both sides of names overvoting

arrows rather than bubbles marking incorrectly

formatting is inconsistent or too consistent undervoting

instructions are complicated or lacking all kinds of crazy things

voters don’t know how to correct their ballots lost votes

Can voters... read all of the information on the ballot easily?

navigate through the ballot to find all the contests and ballot measures?

identify the different sections of the ballot?

find, read, and follow instructions accurately?

Use lowercase letters

Avoid centered type

Use big enough type

Pick one sans serif font

Support process and navigation

Use clear, simple language

Use accurate instructional illustrations

Use informational icons (only)

Use contrast and color to support meaning

Show what’s most important

Designing usable ballots

Can voters... understand what each instruction means?

follow instructions easily?

complete the ballot without making mistakes?

respond appropriately to error messages?

At the beginning of the ballot explain how to vote

Put instructions where voters need them

Include information that will prevent voters from making errors

Write short sentences

Use short, simple, everyday words

Write in active voice, with the person doing comes before the verb

Write in the positive

When giving instructions that are more than one step, use a numbered list

Keep paragraphs short

Separate paragraphs by a space

Writing instructions voters understand

New tools.

Research commissioned by NIST

SOP and Usability and Civic Life Project

Research commissioned by NIST

Research commissioned by EAC

Field Guides series

Written and designed for you

Published by 300+ people who say

thank you for being amazing

Research partially funded by Kickstarter

Coming soon

Effective election department web sites

Delivering useful voter education

Effective design for vote-by-mail

Funding yet to be secured

Designing multi-language ballots

Funding yet to be secured

Field Guides To Ensuring Voter Intent

civicdesigning.org/fieldguides

Dana Chisnelldana@usabilityworks.netcivicdesign@usabilityworks.net

civicdesign.org

@danachis@ChadButterfly

california's top lessons learned in design and language

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